Two new measles cases confirmed in B.C’s Lower Mainland related to Thursday case

Health authorities in B.C.’s Lower Mainland have confirmed two new cases of measles Friday, connected to the case announced Thursday.

Fraser Health Authority (FHA) said Thursday the virus infected a resident who travelled abroad to Southeast Asia. In an update Friday, it said the two new cases were “both related” to that traveller.

“Fraser Health has determined all three infections were acquired by Fraser Health residents who travelled abroad to Southeast Asia in the same travel party,” the health authority said in a statement Friday.

Last month, two people, one in the Fraser Health region and one in the Vancouver Coastal Health region, who travelled together to Southeast Asia also tested positive.

FHA says the most recent cases are unrelated to the February cases.

It says infection prevention and control clinicians are following up with people who are known to have been exposed to the virus, but adds that members of the public may have been exposed if they were in a specific locations at specific times.

Members of the public may have been exposed to measles if they were in the following locations:

• Flight KE 75 from Seoul, Korea to Vancouver, Canada on Feb. 17, 2025, departing at 10:50 p.m. and arriving at 3:20 p.m.
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR) from 3:20 PM to 6:20 PM, on Feb. 17, 2025
• Pricesmart, 9899 Austin Road, Burnaby, BC V3J 1N4 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. on Feb. 20, 2025.
• Pricesmart, 9899 Austin Road, Burnaby, BC V3J 1N4 1N4 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. on Feb. 21, 2025.
• Big Way Hot Pot, 2929 Barnet Highway, Unit 2660, Coquitlam, BC V3B 5R5 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Feb. 28, 2025.
• Royal Columbian Hospital Emergency Department from 2:30 p.m. on March 3, 2025, to 2:30 a.m. on March 4, 2025.

1130 NewsRadio has reached out to Fraser Health for more information.

In an interview Thursday, Dr. Brian Conway, a Vancouver-based infectious disease specialist, said the increase in measles cases is due to the troubling trend of lower vaccination rates.

“It’s only going to get worse,” Conway told 1130 NewsRadio. “If you’re going to Texas, for instance, and probably other areas of the United States, where vaccination rates are getting lower and lower, there’s a risk of getting measles, especially if your vaccinations are not up to date.”

He says travellers should know the risks before visiting an area with low vaccination rates.

Measles is a highly infectious disease transmitted by airborne spread that can cause brain inflammation, and health authorities say one out of every 3,000 infected people could die from complications.

Fraser Health says, “Most people in Canada will be immune to measles due to prior immunization or natural infection.” Conway says that just one demographic is at particular risk of infection, thanks to B.C.’s historically high immunization rate.

“Our public health authorities are amazing. The population is really listen to the advice that is being given in a very systematic way. Children are getting their two vaccinations before they enter daycare or go to school. So by the time they’re are four or five, they’re well vaccinated. And anyone was born before 1970 probably had the measles, so doesn’t need shots. So really it’s that group between people born between 1970 and, let’s say 1995, who may or may not have gotten vaccination; Who may or may not have gotten the measles; and needs to make sure that their vaccines are up to date before they leave the country.”